Windows XP not starting properly

Hello everybody - Why do computers work fine one minute, but not the next? Discuss.

Windows XP was working fine, then for no apparent reason it started to misbehave. I started getting messages like: "Windows didn't start properly" and presented with various options like start in Safe Mode etc. I chose last known working configuration, which then presented everything in the lowest resolution possible. I tried Safe Mode and thought I'd cracked it with the System Restore function, but then it just went back to misbehaving again.

Now when I boot up I get the following message:"The following file is either missing or corrupt, please re-install Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

Anybody got any ideas what to do? I don't even know how I go about re-installing this file. Although my Windows XP cd is genuine it didn't come with a manual which doesn't help - is it worth getting something like Windows XP for dummies??

Is it best to try re-installing the whole of Windows XP? - How do I do this? What are the implications?

Or use the Recovery Console on XP cd to copy missing/corrupt files(although I have tried several times to use RC to repair my XP Home without success)

Then there is the Repair(after RC)option,this then means you have to redownload all the updates again.(also watch out for MSBLAST/wachi,etc trojans when connecting up to d/l site as your OS is wide open after a repair)

Thanks for the tips. What is the correct procedure for re-formating my computer and re-installing windows xp. Having already activated xp once, will I have problems doing it again? Any common problems encountered when re-installing windows?

Make sure that the first boot drive is the CD-Rom. Insert your XP CD and restart. You should see briefly at the bottom of the screen the command Press any key to boot from CD. Hit the spacebar. The Windows setup screen will appear on a blue background and you will see files loading at the bottom of the screen. Allow this to run until complete. When prompted press enter to Set up XP. Press F8 to accept agreement. Press Esc to install a fresh copy of Windows as per the prompt. From the options at the bottom of screen press D to delete the partition and return to confirm, then press L to complete the deletion. At the next screen press C to create a new partition. Accept the default size. Press enter to continue setup. If asked choose a file system, Fat32 or NTFS. You drive will be reformatted and some files will be copied. Set up will initialize and the computer will restart. Ignore any further prompts to boot from CD. XP will install. During installation you will be asked for regional and keyboard settings etc. Make sure you answer correctly. When complete PC will restart. Again ignore prompt to boot from CD. When running remove CD. All done. Activate It, you will have no problem. Good luck.